fall soup #1

Soup, soup, more soup. A steaming bowl clutched between chilled hands is one of the finer pleasures of the cooling weather. Tonight the body craves greens. The mind craves emptying the fridge. Salty red bacon, creamy white potatoes, emerald kale, deep velvety beef stock, musky black pepper. Each flavor asserting itself, no single part allowing the other to be dominant. Fall soup #1.

4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2″ pieces

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 large sweet onion, cut into small dice

1 large russet potato, scrubbed, cut into 1/2″ dice

1 bunch green kale, roughly chopped

4 c. beef broth

1 1/2 c. chicken broth

1 tsp. bruised black peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1 rosemary sprig

splash of Worcestershire sauce

Cook bacon in the bottom of a heavy bottomed soup pot until the fat has rendered and you have crispy bacon bits. Remove bacon, drain rest of fat out of pan. Add olive oil, heat through, add onion. Cook just until soft. Toss in potatoes. Stir to coat, then add in broths, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add kale, cook until bright green, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add bacon bits back in, and submerge rosemary sprig in broth. Cover, let sit for 15 minutes. Remove rosemary and bay leaf, add splash of Worcestershire sauce. Add more salt and pepper to taste, if desired.